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81556786
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Living White House, The - Forward (National Geographic)
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81556786
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document
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Living White House, The - Forward (National Geographic)
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Betty Ford White House Papers
First Lady General Subject Files
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Presidential residences
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1975-07-01
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7
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1975
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1975-07-01
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1975
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The original documents are located in Box 40, folder "Living White House, The - Forward
(National Geographic)" of the Betty Ford White House Papers, 1973-1977 at the Gerald R.
Ford Presidential Library.
Copyright Notice
The copyright law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code) governs the making of
photocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted material. Betty Ford donated to the United States
of America her copyrights in all of her unpublished writings in National Archives collections.
Works prepared by U.S. Government employees as part of their official duties are in the public
domain. The copyrights to materials written by other individuals or organizations are presumed to
remain with them. If you think any of the information displayed in the PDF is subject to a valid
copyright claim, please contact the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library.
O,K ?
THE WHITE HOUSE
WASHINGTON
July 24, 1975
TO: Mrs. Ford
FROM: Sheila
Attached is a copy of
the proposed forward for The Living
White House, the White House guide
book done by National Geographic.
The National Geographic
deadline is now and I would like
your approval or any comments
and suggestions you may have.
I've also attached a copy
of the text and picture caption
on you for the First Lady's Book.
Are you happy with it?
Thanks.
FORD
PERALD
-
Page 1
THE LIVING WHITE HOUSE
Wendy copy 29 lines
Chapter FOREWORD
Manuscript
Lon copy
27 If
Date 7/23/75
Plus credit to NGS
Author--Wendy Cortesi
Edited-Lon Aikman
5 lines--all much
shorter than Mrs. N's
1
IN THIS BOOK, the President and I are happy to share with you some
2
intimate glimpses of life in the White House since John and Abigail
3
Adams became its first residents in 1800.
4
Since then the President's House has been added to and renovated,
5
torn out and painstakingly reconstructed. But in a sense it will
6
never be finished, for each President and his family leave on it the
7
imprint of their individual taste and style.
8
In our turn, we hope the character of life in the White House to-
9
day reflects our own personal beliefs about America--pride in its
10
past accomplishments and confidence in its people and its future.
11
For the many hundreds of official guests who come here every year
from the United States and abroad, we try to recreate the relaxed
12
great
hospitality of a welcoming home. With/pride we share with them
13
American foods and wines, the work of American craftsmen, the arts
14
of American entertainers, and the pleasure of using historic china,
15
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glass, and silver from the White House collections.
At the same time, the White House has become a real home to us,
17
as it was to other Presidents and their families. Its beautiful
18
lawns and gardens have provided a place for our children to grow and
19
entertain their friends, a place for pets to romp and bands to play,
20
a place not only for gaiety and laughter but one of peace and tran-
21
quility for President to make decisions that affect the world.
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Yet the mansion is only the temporary home of its residents. It
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FORD
really belongs to all the American people--to the visitors who tour
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BENALD
LIBRARY
the house and the grounds, to our official guests and our friends,
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Page 2
THE LIVING WHITE HOUSE
Chapter FOREWORD
Manuscript
Date 7/23/75
you
1
and to the reader / of this book. We hope you will feel the same
sense of history that has touched us as we live here.
2
For producing The Living White House, I wish to express my appre-
3
ciation to the National Geographic's President, Melvin M. Payne; to
4
M.
Editor-in-Chief Melville Bell Grosvenor; to Editor Gilbert Grosvenor;
5
to Robert L. Breeden, Chief of Special Publications and his staff;
6
and to the book's author, Lonnelle Aikman.
7
8
9
#
10
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FORD
4
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MENALD
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25
THE FORD ADMINISTRATION
Elizabeth Bloomer Ford
1918-
In 25 years of political life, Betty Bloomer Ford did not expect to become First Lady.
As wife of Representative Gerald R. Ford, she looked forward to his retirement and
more time together. In late 1973 his selection as Vice President was a surprise to her.
She was just becoming accustomed to their new roles when he became President
upon Mr. Nixon's resignation in August 1974.
Born Elizabeth Anne Bloomer in Chicago, she grew up in Grand Rapids, Michi-
gan, and graduated from high school there. She studied modern dance at Bennington
College in Vermont, decided to make it a career, and became a member of Martha
Graham's noted concert group in New York City, supporting herself as a fashion
model for the John Robert Powers firm.
Close ties with her family and her-home town took her back to Grand Rapids,
where she became fashion coordinator for a department store. She also organized
her own dance group, and taught dance to handicapped children.
Her first marriage, at age 24, ended in divorce on the grounds of incompatibility
five years later. Soon afterward she met Jerry Ford, football hero, graduate of the
University of Michigan and Yale Law School, and candidate for Congress. They were
married during the 1948 campaign; he won his election; and the Fords have lived in
the Washington area ever since.
Their four children-Michael Gerald, John Gardner, Steven Meigs, and Susan
Elizabeth were born in the next ten years, and Betty Ford found herself having to
shoulder much of the responsibility of bringing up the family because of her hus-
band's involvement in politics, She supervised the home, did the cooking, took part
in the activities of "House wives" for Congressional and Republican clubs, and
campaigned for her husband as well.
Betty Ford has faced her new life as First Lady with dignity and serenity. She
accepted it as a challenge, and in her own words, "I like challenges very much." Her
experience in the business of fashion and as a professional dancer is apparent in the
style of her wardrobe and the grace with which she walks. She has the self-confidence
to express herself with humor and forthrightness whether she speaks to friends, to
the press, or to a multitude.
Forced to undergo radical surgery for breast cancer on September 28, 1974, she
reassured many troubled women by discussing her ordeal openly. She explained
that "maybe if I as First Lady could talk about it candidly and without embarrass-
ment, many other people would be able to as well." As soon as possible, she resumed
her duties as hostess and public-spirited citizen. She has not hesitated to state her
views on controversial issues such as the Equal Rights Amendment, which she
FORD
strongly supports.
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She has described her role as "much more of a 24-hour job than anyone would
guess," and says of her predecessors: "now that I realize what they've had to put up
with, I have new respect and admiration for every one of them."
84
FIRST LADIES 84-1
NEUT
BRQ
tits
A
3½
whitehours
2-oct- 2-0ct-17/168 A
FORD
e
Betty Ford in her early twenties taught modern dance to underprivileged,
youngsters of Grand Rapids, Michigan. As First Lady, the former dancer
SEHALD
LIBRARY
still devotes time to poor and physically or mentally handicapped children.
FIRST LADIES 85-1
85